


the bastion

by ryukogo



Series: memories in mosaic [4]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, Guardian of the Miraculous Luka Couffaine, Guardian!Luka, Kwami Swap, Turtle Miraculous, Turtle!Luka, but it's light just like with alya's, in the original story in the series, sort of master fu salt?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-10
Updated: 2020-06-10
Packaged: 2021-03-04 05:47:46
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,550
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24648961
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ryukogo/pseuds/ryukogo
Summary: When Luka first meets the Guardian, his questioning of how the current Miraculous team was handled leads to an unexpected result: the role of the next Guardian.---A oneshot in the series trying to answer the question 'why is bastille the next guardian, and not ladybug?'Set sometime during 'romance isn't dead: a memoir by nino lahiffe'
Series: memories in mosaic [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1704493
Comments: 9
Kudos: 112





	the bastion

**Author's Note:**

> if astruc won't give me luka content, then i will make my own god dammit

Luka Couffaine wasn’t the confrontational sort.

Or, well, he _was,_ sort of, to some degree _,_ but most people assumed him not to be - and it wasn’t an unfounded assumption, really. If you had been one of Luka’s classmates and friends and been asked about how he was, most of the time your first instinct would have been to respond with that Luka was very chill, very calm. _A stereotypical music man,_ some would say. Others would say _cliche cool and mysterious older brother with a guitar._ It was a little embarrassing.

But Luka didn’t mind. He _was_ an older brother with a guitar, and he liked music. So what? People could say what they liked about him - he didn’t pay them too much mind. People talked - it was a fact of life. It was up to the person being talked about if they’d let those words affect or mold them and their actions.

Luka didn’t care if people trash talked him. But if anyone he cared about happened to be slighted, there was a very high chance someone was about to get hurt. Usually verbally - but he knew how to kick and punch hard enough to leave you seeing stars at least. Silencer had been the biggest example of that so far. Had he been akumatized when he’d learned about Lila Rossi’s wrongdoing after Pixie Pop’s debut… well. He had a hunch it would’ve been _worse_ than Silencer.

For days his sister’s words had haunted him, his own inner song twisted from a soothing ballad into a dissonant cacophony. He’d been upset - and even though they’d all reassured him that it was alright, that it wasn’t his fault that he hadn’t known the full extent, he was still rather upset at his failure to protect her. He’d failed Juleka. That was a blow to his self-esteem that he’d most likely recover from, but it’d take _quite_ some time.

Eventually, however, Luka had allowed himself to heal - heal from the self-inflicted blow he’d dealt to himself. He’d written out songs - or poetry, he supposed, since he’d yet to apply a melody to them - to let it out. Juleka had been subject to many of his short songs in this period, and she’d been there to listen to him the whole time without showing that she was disinterested in the slightest. He was grateful for that - very much so.

And the day he’d say he was truly healed was the day he’d been given another chance to protect Juleka - protect his loved ones, protect everyone: the day he received the Turtle Miraculous.

* * *

“Writing again, are we?”

A blonde braid lightly whacks against his shoulder as its owner drapes herself on his back, leaning over to glance down at his lyrics from over his shoulder. Luka chuckles lightly and pauses in writing to hold the end of the braid and dust the person’s cheek with their own hair. “In the entire time you’ve known me, Allegra, have I ever stopped writing?”

“Fair enough,” Allegra concedes, and Luka breathes in relief when he feels her weight off of his back. The blonde girl then proceeds to sit down across from him, setting out her things as she went. “You always were the best lyricist in class. Figures that that talent is being used 24/7.”

Allegra Caruso was a vibrant, pleasant girl, and probably one of the few classmates Luka had allowed himself to truly befriend. Well, to be more precise, Allegra had made herself known to him and he hadn’t chased her away, and now she was practically an excitable barnacle that he didn’t have the heart to peel off. Mainly because he actually enjoyed her company. Some would have argued she’d been intruding on his space, but Luka would have told them that she’d respected all of his boundaries, verbally and physically, from the first time they’d met.

He’d known her for around four years now, at the very least - and not even time could truly mellow her out. Sure, she’d gotten more tidy about herself and gotten absolutely stellar at the flute where he’d gotten better at the guitar, but at her core her melody was the same - lively and free, like the wind. Luka liked that. She reminded him of Rose in a way.

Luka blows the bangs out of his eyes briefly. “Don’t you have something to do?”

“Not really. Mme Pavona and I finished early today, so now here I am bothering you.” Mme Pavona was one of four music teachers in their school, and the one who specialized in woodwinds - which meant Allegra turned to her for more in-depth learning as necessary. Luka, whose expertise was with the guitar, fell under the tutelage of Monsieur Montevirgen instead with his knowledge of strings.

Luka raises an eyebrow, smiling. “I see. Maybe you can be my sounding board then for this batch of lyrics. If you don’t mind, that is - Juleka’s in school, and I can’t exactly waltz out of here to go visit hers.”

“Of course!” Allegra beams. Her smile reminds him of the sun. “Hit me with your best shot then!”

_CLANG!_

Something crashes against the bell in the belltower of their school. Luka and Allegra look up, and watch as Chat Noir’s body peels itself off of the bell and lands back first on the pavement. Allegra grimaces at Chat Noir’s pained groan.

“Chat Noir?” If Chat Noir was out, that meant there was an akuma attack, didn’t it? Closing his notebook, Luka tucks it into his pocket before running over to assist the fallen hero, Allegra following close behind. “Are you okay? What happened?”

The cat hero laughs weakly, rubbing his head. “Miladybug grand slammed me into the bell to get me away from the akuma and over here fast enough. We just underestimated how _strong_ her throw was, that’s all. Better a ringing head than no head at all, am I right?”

“So no head?” Allegra asks. Luka elbows her.

A snicker escapes Chat’s throat. “Nice.”

“Wait-” Luka narrows his eyes, analyzing his words. “She needed you over here fast enough? Why?”

Chat hums. “Mmmm… gimme a minute. I need to get the ringing outta my head first. Can someone call the nurse?”

“I can do it!” Allegra volunteers. Before Luka can even blink, his friend had already sped off, leaving him and Chat to their own devices. Carefully Luka hoists up Chat Noir and slings his arm over his shoulder before leading him to a bench under one of the trees in the courtyard of their school, letting him rest and recover for a moment.

It’s during this time that he takes a moment to realize that Chat Noir was… definitely younger than him. Tall, but definitely younger than him. And the thinness of his arms were definitely not that of a normal, healthy boy’s. If he didn’t know any better, he would have guessed he was in the same age range as his own sister.

The thought makes him worry.

“You doing any better, Chat Noir?” Luka asks carefully. “If you need anything, our nurse probably can-”

“It’s uh- well, actually, I’m all better now. I just really needed the girl from earlier out of earshot and us out of her line of sight,” Chat rubs his neck awkwardly. “Friend of yours?”

Luka blinks. “... Yes? Wait, why did you need Allegra away from here?”

“I needed to be able to take you somewhere, Luka, and for a good reason.” Chat Noir’s hand reaches into one of his pockets, and when Luka glances down he sees a familiar black box peeking out when Chat pulls it out slightly. Despite himself, he feels his heart pound. He can hear Chat’s heart pound as well. The hero’s song is frenzied and worried - no doubt for his partner… but it’s also incredibly familiar. He’s not sure why, but he feels as if he’s heard this song before.

Luka glances around. Allegra was still nowhere to be seen. “If you’re going to take me away, now’s good enough a time as any. Allegra could come back at any moment.”

Chat Noir grins his catlike grin, and suddenly Luka finds himself hoisted onto the cat hero on piggyback. With a barely dignified yelp, he holds on as Chat Noir launches them both into the skies.

* * *

He knows not to expect Sass, of course. Sass was no doubt in the care of one Medusa, and from the looks of things seemed to be faring very well in her care. While he did miss the small kwami, he was glad that Medusa – whoever she was under the mask – seemed to be taking good care of him.

Luka, however, did not expect to meet Wayzz in the very slightest.

“This is Nino’s kwami,” Luka says automatically, something that makes Chat visibly wince. He can hear Chat’s song morph into something reminiscent of a requiem at his words. “The turtle kwami is Nino’s partner, isn’t he?”

Chat bites his lower lip. “You understand why he can’t have it back though, right?”

“I do.” Luka turns his gaze to Wayzz, and frowns. The turtle kwami looked despondent, wringing his little stubs like one would wring their wrists as he floats between the two of them. “But that doesn’t-“

“Look, Luka. Ladybug really needs a Turtle right now, and you were our next choice. Please accept the Miraculous and help us out before everyone loses their heads.”

“… Literally?”

“Literally.”

Luka takes the box and pulls out the bracelet, seating it on his wrist. It didn’t… feel right, wearing it on his wrist like the Snake Miraculous. But how else would he…?

“Chat Noir?”

“Yeah?”

“The Miraculous changes according to its wearer, right?”

Chat hums. “Yeah. Your outfit and your Miraculous both in and out of costume can be disguised according to the wearer’s will. Why do you ask?”

Luka grins, and lays out the bracelet on his palm. Before their eyes the Turtle Miraculous’s main charm changes in shape, narrowing out at an end most reminiscent of… “A guitar pick?” Chat asks. “You want it to be a guitar pick? That’s way too easy to lose, don’t you think?”

“Not if I do this.” Using his free hand, Luka pulls on the string of what used to be a bracelet as it continues to glow, and when the glow fades it reveals itself to have lengthened almost into a true necklace – except it’s _way_ too long. Luka then loops the long braided string around his neck multiple times before allowing the charm of the Miraculous itself to rest above his collarbone. “I was looking to add a new accessory like this. It tracks, and my mother and Juleka won’t figure it out.”

Chat whistles appreciatively, but it’s Wayzz’s reaction that Luka’s looking for. When he turns to the little kwami, he can see he’s trying his best to be appreciative of the new look of the Miraculous, but his gaze is distant. Smiling gently, Luka pats his head with a finger, and leans forward to cup a hand around his mouth and whisper into where he assumed Wayzz’s ear was.

“Since this is probably a permanent arrangement, we can definitely visit Nino tonight, Ladybug or no Ladybug. You deserve to see him again one more time.”

Wayzz’s eyes widen as he draws back. “You mean it?”

“Of course I do. I'll make sure of it myself. It's the least I can do.” Luka’s smile is serene. It would be easy to track down Nino later – he was in contact with the guy due to their similar interest in music. “Now if I remember correctly… Wayzz, shell on.”

* * *

Luka keeps his promise. Wayzz meets Nino, and says goodbye – or perhaps it was an unspoken ‘until we meet again’. Their songs were in sync with each other, perfectly so, and maybe that’s why Nino had been chosen to be the Turtle, he muses. Their melodies were the same, and thus they were matched by Ladybug – but that was a little boring, in a way. There was no true distinction.

Luka remembers Sass’s song, faintly. He can hear it entwined in the melody of Medusa herself, but it’s not a note-for-note copy. Rather, it was half of a harmony – a harmony made of himself, and of Medusa. Medusa’s song seemed fiercer in comparison to Sass’s, but Sass’s song did not undermine hers, nor get drowned out by it. They _worked_ together – and maybe that was what Ladybug intended.

He didn’t hear his own song. That would be cheating – and all too easy. But maybe Ladybug could hear his, and saw fit to make him harmonize with Wayzz.

When Wayzz comes back and phases through the door, hugging his cheek in gratitude, he smiles back at him.

* * *

He meets Master Fu formally on his own, in a small apartment that he never would’ve guessed housed the Guardian himself. Ladybug and Chat Noir had to deal with a sudden akuma alert and had left him to deal with the Guardian of the Miraculous on his own, so when he detransforms and sees Wayzz immediately settle into a seat near the gramophone in the back of the apartment, he understands a little more. He’s told by Ladybug and Chat Noir that it’s extremely hidden in order for the Guardian to have a safe place to rest his head at night, since Hawkmoth knew him by face now – so it made sense that it was in such a backwards alley.

“It is good to finally properly meet you, Bastille. Or shall I say, Luka Couffaine?” Fu addresses him calmly.

Luka nods, taking a seat in front of Fu on the mat. “It’s a pleasure to meet you too, Master. Ladybug and Chat Noir speak highly of you.”

“Do they now? I don’t believe I truly deserve their praises when they’re the ones who’ve done much of the praiseworthy actions.” Fu strokes his goatee thoughtfully before amending, “Regardless, I welcome you as the new bearer of the Turtle. You are the third to hold the Turtle within the streets of Paris in this era, and as the Guardian I welcome you with open arms.”

Luka blinks. “The third?”

“Master Fu was my wielder before Nino,” Wayzz pipes up. “He’s been my partner for the majority of his lifetime, and would have been had Ladybug not chosen to use me for Nino, and then you.”

Luka’s face doesn’t change, but there is a question on his lips. “Do you regret becoming my partner?”

“No. You’re a good one, Luka,” Wayzz answers honestly. “We kwami get exchanged hands so often it shouldn’t matter, after all. It’s… merely a fond memory to be here with Master Fu again.”

Fu smiles at him, and offers his tea to the turtle kwami. Delighted, the kwami glides over to take a sip as the old man says, “You’re the oldest I’ve seen of this generation, excluding Hawkmoth and Mayura. You’re nearly a man at your age, in comparison to the rest of the holders.”

“I’ve been meaning to ask about that, actually,” Luka begins. He’d thought about it before, when he’d seen Ladybug and Chat Noir for the first time. “They seem too young to be fighting the supervillains, don’t you think? They look almost as old as my sister, Juleka, and she’s not even in university.”

Fu’s face is neutral. His song too is carefully guarded – something that makes Luka mildly frustrated. He doesn’t let it show, however. _What does he have to hide?_ “The reason I chose Ladybug and Chat Noir is because those who are younger are less inclined to use the Miraculous for selfish gain, as Hawkmoth and Mayura do now. They are more innocent than adults-“

“Bullshit.”

Wayzz flinches at his curse. Fu only raises an eyebrow.

Luka is… not furious. Not yet. _Not yet._ But he’s getting there. There’s just something _off_ about Fu’s words that leaves his hackles rising in a way he hasn’t felt since Silencer _and_ Pixie Pop. “You chose literal teenagers to save a city because you thought they were more _innocent_ than adults? Kids, and especially teenagers can be selfish too, you know. Just as much as adults. Why do you think Hawkmoth gets a baby akumatized every other day?”

“He’s desperate for something to akumatize?” Wayzz offers.

Luka nods. “Well, yeah. But that still doesn’t explain why you chose teenagers to wield two Miraculous that the supervillain specifically wants out in the open.”

Wayzz gapes, but does not speak up at what he assumes he believes is his audacity. There is a glint in Fu’s eyes, but he doesn’t speak at first. He only pours another cup of tea and holds it out to Luka, who takes it warily into his hands. The cup is still hot against his fingertips when he touches it.

“Luka, have you heard of Feast?”

Luka looks up at the old man. Suddenly, he seemed… much less wise and all-knowing, and more exhausted. The guards on his song had dropped, leaving behind a sad, haunting lullaby. It was… jarring. “I saw him on TV, sir.”

“Then you know the news that came soon after in Tibet then.”

Luka searches his memories for a few moments. “… the temple in the mountains suddenly reappearing after almost two centuries… wait, is that-“

“I have told this story to Ladybug already, so there is no harm in repeating it now for you. The statue that had been unveiled by one Mr. Kubdel was a sentimonster created by a child even younger than Ladybug and Chat Noir today. This sentimonster caused the destruction of the Temple of Guardians, and caused all but one Miracle Box to be lost.” Fu’s eyes flicker over to the gramophone before turning back to Luka. “That child was me, and the sentimonster was a mistake that haunted me for the rest of my life – until Ladybug and Chat Noir restored the Order and the temple by defeating Feast. Due to that event, however, I had exposed myself to Hawkmoth, which is why you find me here now.”

Luka frowns. “Why… why tell me this, then?”

“It is no longer a mistake that haunts my days as it used to, so I do not find shame in telling it as long as those younger than me can pick up lessons from it.” Fu sips his tea before continuing. “I bring this up… because you have pointed out something incredibly flawed in my logic that I would never have noticed if it had been someone I already knew fairly well.”

Luka raises an eyebrow.

“You are right in that my choice of choosing teenagers might have been a mistake,” Fu admits. His thumb traces the rim of his cup. “But as Hawkmoth is desperate, so too I was desperate to find good souls to wield the Ladybug and Black Cat, that I turned to those two when I saw they succeeded in my tests.”

“… Tests?”

“Tests of character. They succeeded, and so I gave them their Miraculous.”

“… That’s it? You just gave it to them? No… training whatsoever?” That did _not_ sit well with Luka at all. “No wonder they didn’t know what they were doing at first during Stoneheart. What were you thinking?”

“Luka, perhaps-“ Wayzz is interrupted in his placating by Fu raising a hand. “Master Fu?”

“He is right, Wayzz. I did not think when I let this happen. I did not think when I used simple acts of goodwill as tests of character, and when I let them go without any true guidance for so long.” Fu’s song turns sorrowful. Luka settles back in his place and sips his tea once just to stave off the slowly building irritation. “Even in my old age, I still make mistakes. It was a mistake not telling Chat Noir about myself the first time, it was a mistake to try and take away their Miraculous when Feast came around, and it was a mistake that I didn’t see this in totality until a stranger with a protective heart better than my own called me out on it.”

Luka stills. “A stranger with… you mean… me?”

“I do.” Another sip from his cup of tea. “… You are wise, Luka. For your age, you are most certainly wise in your own way, and you are driven by a desire to protect, as Nino Lahiffe is. Tell me, Luka. Who do you want to protect?”

“My family,” Luka answers instantly. “If I can’t protect my family while protecting Paris, then there is literally no point to me holding the Turtle Miraculous.”

Fu hums. Luka listens carefully as the old man’s song turns much more serene. The walls are still down, and no longer is he too guarded. This makes Luka relax by a hair. “Ladybug has given you Wayzz and the Turtle Miraculous permanently with my approval. Do you understand why?”

“Not in full.”

“Ladybug and Chat Noir have the utmost faith in you, Luka Couffaine. Your time as Viperion has positively shaped their opinion of you and your time as your civilian self only contributes to this image.” Fu smiles and puts down the cup. “You have proven yourself time and time again to be worthy of bearing a Miraculous by your actions alone, and while they do not say anything, you are older than them. Unconsciously they will seek your advice as well.”

Luka blinks. “I… haven’t been a Miraculous user as long as they have though. I’m the one who defers to them.”

“That is because they are the leaders, yes – but you are older, and wiser by a bit than both of them. Especially the sheltered Chat Noir. They make the final call, but they will seek advice by someone they know to be older. That is you.” Luka notes that when Fu smiles, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes get more enhanced. “I have been thinking about this for a while now, ever since you have proven yourself to be worthy of being Nino’s successor, and our talk today has solidified my decision.”

“Your… decision?”

“Luka Couffaine, I have been considering training you in becoming a Guardian.” Luka’s eyes widen. “To clarify, Ladybug was my first and only choice prior to this, but after Ladybug and Chat Noir discovered each other’s identities, they came to me and asked to be treated equally. They asked me to tell Chat Noir everything I told Ladybug, and not to withhold anything like I did before.”

Luka nods tersely. “Withholding information when they’re partners is not a good idea.”

“Indeed… and it took nearly everyone in Paris drowning for me to begin to realize it,” Fu murmurs. “I have begun Ladybug’s training in becoming a Guardian, but it is not far enough yet that I cannot change pupils.”

Luka frowns. “Why me?”

“You brought up a very valid point – Ladybug and Chat Noir are teenagers. You are a teenager, but you are on the cusp of being an adult moreso than the two of them, and the rest of the current team. You are right in that I may have made a mistake in assuming that teenagers would be the best fit for the two most powerful Miraculous in my hold.” Fu sighs. “But this is a chance for me not to make another mistake as I had before. By choosing you as the next Guardian of Paris, I will be able to teach you both in the ways of the Order and of the Turtle due to my experience with the Turtle. You will learn to care for the Miracle Box and the kwami inside, and all the spells and potions within the book of the Miraculous as Ladybug had begun to.”

Luka breathes in sharply through his nose. “… Master Fu. I haven’t said yes to being a Guardian yet.”

“I am aware. But I will not sit idly by and not be transparent with you. I should have been more transparent with Ladybug and Chat Noir from the beginning.” The old man clenches his fists on top of his thighs before exhaling deeply. “You deserve to know the extent of what you will be getting into, after all. Of course, there will be things I won’t tell you until you accept, but it is your choice, Luka.”

Luka sits back in thought, the cup of tea still in his hands. His thumb traces the rim slowly as he ponders. “… If I say no… will you be training Ladybug still?”

“She has already begun her training, so I will continue on. If you choose to say yes, I will halt her deeper studies and educate her and Chat Noir, as well as the rest of your team, on the various potions for the Miraculous, but that is all they will receive. The Guardians are responsible for being burdened with the knowledge, and thus have a failsafe in case this secrecy is put in danger.”

“A failsafe?”

“Once the current Guardian declares the next one in succession to them, the Miracle Box they guard will be connected to the new Guardian, and the previous Guardian will lose all memories of the Miraculous and their powers.” Fu smiles softly, sadly. Luka sees him fiddle with the ghost of a bracelet no longer around his wrist. “It is something I have already come to accept in my old age, and something you may accept when it’s your turn – should you choose to accept the responsibility.”

Luka frowns. “Is there really nobody else besides Ladybug?”

“Nobody else.”

His lower lip is chewed to death in his worry. Juleka was going to ask him about it later, no doubt. But he didn’t want to say no – especially if it meant Ladybug would be burdened instead with the burden of both the Ladybug and Guardianship. Briefly, he imagines Juleka to be Ladybug, and the image of his sister being burdened by both huge roles to play in the saving of Paris causes his resolve to steel, and his eyes to harden.

“Master Fu?”

Fu raises an eyebrow.

“Please train me to be a proper Guardian. I want to help Ladybug and Chat Noir in any way I can, and if the way is to lessen her worries and burdens, so be it.” Luka bows his head. It felt like the right thing to do in this situation.

“You realize that by carrying this burden, you may live longer than everyone on your team, and your own loved ones. This might be a case specific to us, however, seeing as we are both Turtles and Guardians.”

Luka thinks about Juleka, and Anarka. Thinks about Marinette, Adrien, Nino – thinks about Rose, thinks about Ivan. He thinks about Allegra, and thinks about Sass, and Wayzz.

“I understand, Master,” Luka answers seriously. “I will do my best to learn the way of the Guardians from you.”

Fu’s song bursts into a harmony. Luka finds that it’s surprisingly calming. “That is the answer I had hoped to hear. Thank you, Luka Couffaine. Your training will begin immediately as soon as you lay down the times you are available.”

“I hope to not disappoint.”

“You have already impressed me today, Luka. You need not worry about that.”

Somehow, that makes Luka feel warm.


End file.
